trail */*/

trail */*/
I UK [treɪl] / US verb
Word forms "trail":
present tense I/you/we/they trail he/she/it trails present participle trailing past tense trailed past participle trailed
1) [intransitive] to move slowly and in a tired or unhappy way, often so that you are a short distance behind other people
trail after/behind/around:

My husband usually trails behind me when I'm shopping.

2) [intransitive/transitive] mainly journalism to be losing in a competition or election

A recent poll shows the Democrats trailing the Republicans.

trail by:

At the end of the round, Garcia trailed by two strokes.

3) [intransitive/transitive] to pull something behind you, or to be pulled behind someone or something

Trailing his coat in the dirt, he turned towards home.

I don't want the dress to trail along the ground.

4)
a) [transitive] to leave marks on a surface or a substance in the air as you go through a place

The dogs came in, trailing mud everywhere.

a jeep trailing clouds of dust

b) [intransitive] if a line of marks or long thin objects trail across a place, they are left there by someone or something
trail across/over/along:

Old cables and wires trailed across the garden.

5) [transitive] to follow someone secretly in order to learn something about them

Detectives trailed Evans for weeks.

6) [intransitive/transitive] if something trails somewhere, it hangs down from something

geraniums trailing from terracotta pots

Phrasal verbs:
II UK [treɪl] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "trail":
singular trail plural trails
1) a path through the countryside, especially one designed for walking for pleasure

The trail led down to the lake.

follow a trail:

We followed a winding trail into the mountains.

2)
a) a series of marks or objects left by someone or something that shows they have been there
trail of:

a trail of blood

leave a trail:

He left a trail of muddy footprints.

follow a trail:

We followed the trail of ribbons he had tied to the trees.

b) a smell or series of marks left by an animal
follow a trail:

Dogs can follow a bear's trail for several miles.

3)
a) damage or harm caused by something bad
trail of:

Hurricane Andrew left a trail of destruction along the coast.

b) a series of bad or harmful events

a trail of murders/robberies

4) a series of pieces of connected evidence that prove that someone did something wrong or illegal

The trail of missing funds led investigators directly to Wang.

See:
5) mainly journalism a series of activities that you do in order to achieve something
the campaign/championship/winning/comeback trail:

The usual pack of reporters were following Bush on the campaign trail.

hit the trail (= begin to try to achieve something):

Sefton hits the cup trail tomorrow, following today's win.

•

(hot) on the trail of — very close to finding someone or to discovering something

Detectives are hot on the trail of a serial killer.

See:
blaze II

English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • trail — Ⅰ. trail UK US /treɪl/ verb ► [I or T] to be less successful than competitors or than expected: » This company s shares have left most rivals trailing. »Precious metal stocks trailed, at 124.35. trail behind sth »Prices of mortgage backed… …   Financial and business terms

  • Trail — Trail, n. 1. A track left by man or beast; a track followed by the hunter; a scent on the ground by the animal pursued; as, a deer trail. [1913 Webster] They traveled in the bed of the brook, leaving no dangerous trail. Cooper. [1913 Webster] How …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Trail — steht für: einen schmalen Weg, siehe Trampelpfad einen schmalen Pfad im Mountainbike Sport, siehe Singletrail Laufen abseits befestigter Straßen, siehe Traillauf, eine Disziplin im Reitsport, siehe Westernreiten ein Plattenlabel, siehe Trail… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Trail — (tr[=a]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Trailed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Trailing}.] [OE. trailen, OF. trailler to trail a deer, or hunt him upon a cold scent, also, to hunt or pursue him with a limehound, F. trailler to trail a fishing line; probably from a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trail — [ trɛ(j)l ] n. m. • v. 1985; de l angl. trail bike (1969) « moto de motocross », de trail « piste, sentier » ♦ Anglic. Moto légère, polyvalente, dotée de suspensions à grand débattement. Des trails. ● trail nom masculin (anglais trail, piste)… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • trail — ► NOUN 1) a mark or a series of signs left behind by the passage of someone or something. 2) a track or scent used in following someone or hunting an animal. 3) a long thin part stretching behind or hanging down from something. 4) a beaten path… …   English terms dictionary

  • Trail — Trail, v. i. 1. To be drawn out in length; to follow after. [1913 Webster] When his brother saw the red blood trail. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. To grow to great length, especially when slender and creeping upon the ground, as a plant; to run or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Trail — Trail, MN U.S. city in Minnesota Population (2000): 62 Housing Units (2000): 35 Land area (2000): 0.992799 sq. miles (2.571337 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.992799 sq. miles (2.571337 sq. km) …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Trail, MN — U.S. city in Minnesota Population (2000): 62 Housing Units (2000): 35 Land area (2000): 0.992799 sq. miles (2.571337 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.992799 sq. miles (2.571337 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • trail — [trāl] vt. [ME trailen < MFr trailler < VL * tragulare < L tragula, small sledge, dragnet < trahere, to DRAW] 1. a) to drag or let drag behind one, esp. on the ground, etc. b) to bring along behind [trailing exhaust fumes] c) to pull… …   English World dictionary

  • trail — [n] path, track aisle, beaten track*, byway, footpath, footprints, footsteps, groove*, mark, marks, pathway, road, route, rut, scent, spoor, stream, stroll, tail, trace, train, wake, way; concept 501 trail [v] lag behind, follow bedog, bring up… …   New thesaurus

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